11 1/2 month update on Big 3 (pictures and questions)

[MontyWockenfuss]

I have been using minoxidil and Nizoral since November 29, 2003. (13 1/2 months).
I have been using finasteride since February 3, 2004. (11 1/2 months).

Norwood 2-2.5 (not exactly sure) with some diffuse thinning.

After (almost) a year on the Big 3, I have good and bad news with some questions.

The good news is that I haven't really lost any more hair. I have remained relatively stable and thick and, when styled, I am still able to make my hair look presentable and good. The frontal strip has not noticably receded any. I have regrown a very good amount of vellous hair on my crown and temples. The hair on my crown could be easily concealed using a concealer if I was inclined to go that route (which I probably will at some point, barring improvements).

The bad news is that, aside from this vellous growth, there hasn't been much of anything else. While the hair does seem like it might be pigmented, it never seems to grow long. The hair on my temples, in particular, appears to be pigmented, but it doesn't seem to grow any longer. From a distance, there's a noticable shadow on my temples. If all that hair thickened up and grew terminal and long, I'd probably be about a 1.5 or so. I have a natural widow's peak as it is (which I tried to convey in the 'original picture' presented), so it'd be pretty hard to distinguish from how I looked four years ago or so.

Alas, here are my pictures of where I am at. I cant seem to find the pictures that I took a year ago (which I realize makes it hard to offer a comparison to what I once was). However, it should give you a fair assessment of where I am at now:

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/coolli ... /my_photos

(being that these pictures were taken in the mirror, my left temple appears to be my right temple and vice versa....you get the idea)

I've been doing the Big 3 for 11 1/2 months now. I rotate use Nizoral, Jason Thin to Thick and Neutrogena T-Sal shampoos. I don't know if I should continue on this route and expect to see more regrowth results in the next year or if I should add copper peptides/spironolactone/emu oil/revivogen etc. etc to kick things into gear a bit. I feel like I am so very close to improving my appearance and restoring my hairline and crown. I have regrown all of those little vellous hairs and I'm overjoyed that those hairs aren't dead yet. Being that I trust the input of the posters on the board for advice and wisdom on these matters, I ask you to help me out here and tell me what I ought to do.

Thanks for any assistance that any of you can provide...I appreciate it and I appreciate this message board.

MW.

 

[Guest]

Dear Mrs Wockenfuss,

I find myself in a very simlar situation to you.

I started Minoxidil in Sept 2003 (5% twice a ay)
I started finasteride in Feb 2004 (1.25mg daily)

15 months on these two plus Nizoral 2%.

Futher loss pretty much halted, but regrowth very slow and a lot of it is vellus (although the velus hair has become pretty long so is providing some cosmetic advantage).

The top of my head has filled in a little and generally my hair has thickened up all round, so I find myself in a better positon than I was in the september of 2003 and more importantly probably a much better position than I would have been now in 2005 if I hadn't eaten all those magic hair pills.

But like yourself I am thinking of ramping up my regimen and have been looking at Proxiphen?

I would be very interested to hear what people think is the best next stage after a year or so on the 'big 3'??


Cheers

Ty

 

[ACT10Npack]

tynanW, if you get results with your regimen then you should stay on it even through the results is very slow. Jump from one regimen that is working for you to an other that you dont know if it will do anything for you is not the smart idea. A lot of people would love to just maintain what they have. Which is why I have not change my regimen.

 

[Guest]

tynanW, if you get results with your regimen then you should stay on it even through the results is very slow. Jump from one regimen that is working for you to an other that you dont know if it will do anything for you is not the smart idea. A lot of people would love to just maintain what they have. Which is why I have not change my regimen.

cheers 'actionpack', I was thinking of keeping my regimen and adding something 'extra' maybe like folligen, Like you say I think it's good to hold on to what you have but I started much later than you (I know your pictures) and would love to thicken or fill in some more.

 

[The Rock]

If I was you I just keep doing what i was doing...and maybe just get one transplant down the line...cuz with ur case it would put ur litteraly right back where u need to be......jsut a thought. Granted it is alotta money and plus the money in ur regiment......when u show ur styled pic you probobly beat 9/10's of everyone else on here on how ur hair looks...keep up what ur doing is all i can say and look into a hair transplant down the lnie.

 

[viperfish]

Tynan,
What about the lasercomb for thickening???

 

[Guest]

Tynan,
What about the lasercomb for thickening???

Is there any trial data for the laser comb?

How much are those things?

Do you have to hide it from your friends?

:freaked:

 

[Buffboy]

Tynan,
What about the lasercomb for thickening???

How much are those things?
quote].
There should be trials as it's approved for hair growth in Canada. Think it costs around $650 - but you should be able to return it within 5 months.

 

[Trent]

monty. those "original" pictures that you have on your website, are those when you started treatment, or how long ago was that taken? I was just curious cause your hair in that picture, that is sort of my situation right now, maybe a little less recession and a very tiny bit thicker in the front. Just basically want to know how long it is before i get to the stage in hairloss that you are currently in.

as for advice, i would throw in the copper peptides, the general vibe i've been getting on this forum is that they are working pretty well for people.

 

[Rawbbie]

seems like you still have enough hair to make it look good when styled. As well, the hair you have on your hairline is still real strong, so you aren't doing too bad